Two-wheeler in the form of a dandy horse

ABSTRACT

The two-wheeler in the form of a dandy horse is propelled by the user by pushing (walking) with his or her feet on the pavement. The dandy horse having a frame ( 1 ), a front and a back wheel ( 3, 4 ) rotationally mounted therein, a saddle ( 5 ) supported by the frame ( 1 ) and handlebars ( 6 ) supported on the frame ( 1 ) for the front wheel ( 3 ). The frame ( 1 ) consists of an upper longitudinal tube ( 7 ), and steering tube ( 9 ) with a front wheel fork ( 10 ), a saddle support tube ( 11 ) and a back wheel fork ( 12, 13 ) made of metal and/or plastic and/or a composite material

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is the national stage under 35 U.S.C. 371 ofPCT/EP99/04202, filed Jun. 17, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a two-wheeler in the form of a coasting dandyhorse, which the rider powers by pushing (walking) his feet on thepavement.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to provide a simple, inexpensive,stable yet lightweight version of the dandy horse, a two-wheeler thathas been known for decades, as an optimum piece of outdoor fitnessequipment.

The frame of the dandy horse according to the invention has anadvantageous construction, comprises advantageous materials, and can beproduced simply and inexpensively, yet is stable and lightweight. Theframe lends the entire dandy horse the quality of optimum fitnessequipment for outdoor use.

To promote fitness, this dandy horse has no mechanical drive, such as achain drive with pedals, and is set in motion by the rider himself,thereby serving as an optimum multi-function exercise vehicle forphysical training. The dandy horse frame can be embodied in a wide rangeof variations.

For transport and storage purposes, the dandy horse can also becollapsible, or can be disassembled (detachable wheel), so it can betransported (for example, on trips) in a container. The dandy horse'sframe construction and equipment with accessories make it compliant withthe Road Traffic Act, and allow it to be used safely in traffic.

The dandy horse represents a good outdoor fitness device, and improvesthe rider's sense of well-being. The feeling of self-worth and personalsafety creates a positive experience for the rider.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The drawings illustrate variations of an embodiment that is explained indetail below. Shown are in:

FIG. 1 a view in perspective of a coasting two-wheeler in the form of adandy horse, with a frame whose tubes and stays are polygonal incross-section, and an inclined upper longitudinal frame tube;

FIG. 2 a view in perspective of the collapsible dandy horse, with ahinge integrated into the upper longitudinal frame tube;

FIG. 3 a side view of the dandy horse, with a frame having double tubesand double stays and a horizontal upper longitudinal frame tube;

FIG. 4 a side view of the dandy horse, with a hinge or pin element inthe upper longitudinal frame tube for collapsing or separating the dandyhorse;

FIG. 5 a rear view of the dandy horse, with collapsible foot supportsmounted to the rear-wheel hub;

FIG. 6 a side view of a part of the longitudinal frame tube, with anintegrated hinge; and

FIG. 7 a side view, partly in section, of a part of the longitudinalframe tube with a mounted pin connection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE INVENTION

The two-wheeler is embodied as a coasting dandy horse, which the riderpowers by pushing (walking) his feet on the pavement. This dandy horsehas a frame (1, 2) with a front and a rear wheel (3, 4) that arerotatably seated in the frame; a saddle (5) that is supported by theframe (1, 2); and handlebars (6) for the front wheel (3).

The frame (1, 2) comprises an upper longitudinal frame tube (7, 8), asteering tube (9) with a front-wheel fork (10), a saddle-support tube(11) and a rear-wheel fork (12, 13) comprising metal and/or plastic,and/or a composite material.

The longitudinal frame tube (8) according to FIGS. 3 and 4 extendshorizontally between the steering and saddle-support tubes (9, 11),while the longitudinal frame tube (7) according to FIGS. 1 and 2 isinclined, and extends diagonally from the saddle-support tube (11) up tothe steering tube (9).

The longitudinal frame tube (8) has a circular cross section, and thelongitudinal frame tube (7) exhibits a polygonal, preferably square orrectangular, cross section, with the greater rectangular expansionextending in the height direction.

The inclined longitudinal frame tube (7) with the saddle-support tube(11) is supported with respect to the rear-wheel hub (14) by therear-wheel fork (12), which has a round or polygonal cross section andis formed by two rear-wheel stays (12 a, 12 b) disposed on either sideof the rear wheel (4) and diverging to extend diagonally upward; onestay (12 b) extends from the rear-wheel hub (14) to the saddle-supporttube (11), and the respective other stay (12 a) extends from therear-wheel hub (14) to the longitudinal frame tube (7), as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2.

The horizontally-extending longitudinal frame tube (8) with thesaddle-support tube (11) is supported with respect to the rear-wheel hub(14) by two parallel rear-wheel fork stays (13 a, 13 b), which have around or polygonal cross section, are disposed on either side of therear wheel (4) and extend diagonally upward from the rear-wheel hub (14)to the saddle-support tube (11) (FIGS. 3 and 4).

The two different stays (12 a, 12 b/ 13 a, 13 b) of the rear-wheel forks(12, 13) can be used with the frame (2) having the horizontallongitudinal frame tube (8) and the frame (1) having the inclinedlongitudinal frame tube (7).

A stay (15) having a round or polygonal cross section is/can beassociated with the longitudinal frame tube (7, 8). The stay extendsbetween the saddle-support tube (11) and the steering tube (9), and at adistance below the longitudinal frame tube (7, 8), either parallel tothe tube or in a curved shape. The cross section of the stay (15) issmaller than that of the longitudinal frame tube (FIG. 3).

In accordance with FIGS. 2 and 4, the dandy horse can be collapsible, inwhich case a locking hinge (16) is inserted into the longitudinal frametube (7, 8).

The dandy horse can also be separated into two parts (detached), inwhich case the longitudinal frame tube (7, 8) is divided transversely tothe longitudinal direction and has a locking pin connection (17).

The hinge (16) in FIG. 6 is embodied in a manner known for collapsiblebicycles.

The pin connection (17) according to FIG. 7 for the detachable dandyhorse has a divided longitudinal frame tube (7, 8); a connecting tube orrod (18) is inserted into one tubular section (7 a or 8 a) of thislongitudinal frame tube, and the other tubular section (8 a) or (7 a) isplaced on the connecting tube (18) projecting out of the tubular section(7 a) or (8 a), and fixed in place by a securing element (19), such as asocket or stop pin or the like.

The pin connection (17) can also be produced through a reduction in thecross section of a tubular section (7 a) or (8 a), which is theninserted into the normal tubular section (8 a) or (7 a).

In the rear-wheel hub (14), a collapsible foot support (20) can bepositioned on either side of the rear wheel (4) (FIG. 5).

The frame (1, 2) can be spring-mounted with respect to the wheels (3,4).

The dandy horse can be embodied with or without fenders (21) for thewheels (3, 4).

The dandy horse is further provided with a headlight and tail light(22), dynamo and safety brakes (23), hand grips, a Bowden cable andbrake grips, a pack carrier (24), a kickstand (not shown), and a normalor banana saddle (5) with or without shock absorbers.

The wheels (3, 4) can have dual-chamber rims.

Normal bicycle steel, aluminum, plastic with fiberglass reinforcement(carbon/glass fiber/carbon) or other suitable materials can be used forthe frame.

The size of the dandy horse varies; it can be produced in the standard20-, 24-, 26- and 28-inch sizes.

What is claimed is:
 1. A two-wheeler in the form of a dandy horse havingno mechanical drive but permitting the rider to power the two-wheeler bypushing with his feet on a pavement, the two-wheeler comprising a framewith a front and a rear wheel that are rotatably seated in the frame; asaddle that is supported by the frame; and frame-supported handlebarsfor steering the front wheel, the frame (1, 2) having an upperlongitudinal frame tube (7, 8), a steering tube (9) with a front-wheelfork (10), a saddle-support tube (11) and a rear-wheel fork (12, 13)wherein the longitudinal frame tube, (8) with the saddle-support tube(11) is supported with respect to the rear-wheel (14) by two parallelrear-wheel fork stays (13 a, 13 b) having a round or polygonal crosssection, disposed on either side of the rear wheel (4) and extendingdiagonally upward from the rear-wheel (14) to the saddle-support tube(11), wherein a stay (15) having a round or polygonal cross section isassociated with the longitudinal frame tube (8), the stay extendingbetween the saddle-support tube (11) and the steering tube (9), and at adistance below the longitudinal frame tube (8), the stay (15) having across section that is smaller than that of the longitudinal frame tube.2. The two-wheeler according to claim 1, wherein the stay (15)associated with the longitudinal frame tube (8) extends parallel to thetube or in a curved shape.
 3. The two-wheeler according to claim 1,wherein the longitudinal frame tube (8) extends in a horizontal planebetween the steering tube and the saddle-support tube (9, 11).
 4. Thetwo-wheeler according to claim 1, the longitudinal frame tube (7) isinclined, and extends diagonally from the saddle-support tube (11) up tothe steering tube (9).
 5. The two-wheeler according to claim 1, whereinthe longitudinal frame tube (7, 8) has a circular cross section.
 6. Thetwo-wheeler according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal frame tube(7, 8) has a rectangular cross section.
 7. The two-wheeler according toclaim 1, wherein the two-wheeler can be embodied as a collapsible bike,in which case a locking hinge (16) is inserted into the longitudinalframe tube (7, 8).
 8. The two-wheeler according to claim 1, wherein thetwo-wheeler can be separated into two pieces, in which case thelongitudinal frame tube (7, 8) is divided transversely to thelongitudinal direction and has a locking pin connection (17).
 9. Thetwo-wheeler according to claim 1, wherein at the rear-wheel (14), acollapsible foot support (20) is secured to either side of the rearwheel (4).
 10. The two-wheeler according to claim 1, wherein the frame(1, 2) is spring-mounted with respect to the wheels (3, 4).
 11. Thetwo-wheeler according to claim 1, wherein the two-wheeler is embodiedwith fenders (21) for the wheels (3, 4).
 12. The two-wheeler accordingto claim 1, the two-wheeler has lights (22), safety brakes (23), a packcarrier (24) and a kickstand, and the wheels (3, 4) have dual-chamberrims.
 13. The two-wheeler according to claim 1, wherein the two-wheeleris made from metal, plastic or a composite material.